© Gabe Haferman/Columbus Blue Jackets

Dean Evason and the Columbus Blue Jackets could potentially form an ideal partnership, working together towards a shared goal that has thus far eluded them both.

On Tuesday, Columbus introduced Evason as their new coach, following his appointment on Monday. Despite having participated in the Stanley Cup Playoffs 18 times (nine as a player, five as an assistant, and four as a head coach), Evason has never advanced beyond the second round.

Since joining the NHL in 2000-01, Columbus has only managed to win a single series out of their six playoff appearances (excluding the qualifying round in 2020).

Evason’s motivation is abundant and his passion is unmistakable, the very qualities that ultimately secured him the job. These traits will continue to propel both him and the Blue Jackets forward.

On Tuesday, Evason expressed his sincere concern about the lingering effect of a lengthy playoff run. “I must admit, that extended playoff drive bothers me as well,” he stated. “As a head coach, it’s my ultimate desire. It’s also the aspiration of our players. Undoubtedly, it aligns with the goals of our general manager, Don Waddell, and the ownership. However, above all, the fanbase’s desire for it is paramount, without a doubt.”

In just 23 seconds into his opening remarks, Evason finally mentioned the highly coveted “Stanley Cup.” This came after a few obligatory expressions of gratitude. Without those formalities, it’s possible that the “Stanley Cup” would have been his very first statement, perhaps even the first two words.

He reiterated the phrase “Stanley Cup” after 25 seconds, ending his introductory statement. Throughout the 34-minute press conference, which included questions from both in-person and Zoom reporters, he made several more references to the Stanley Cup.

“We have a strong desire to win the Stanley Cup,” Evason expressed. “My lifelong dream has been to raise the Stanley Cup while wearing a blue suit. It’s a tradition that I’ve always aspired to be a part of. Although I won’t have the chance to do it as a player, I now have the opportunity to achieve that dream as a coach. It’s what motivates me and why I am in this position today. Every player who joins our team will share this same drive, desire, and goal. Our aim is to achieve it as soon as possible.”

Suggesting the Blue Jackets will attain the Stanley Cup this season is a far-fetched notion.

Beginning with their last-place finish in the Metropolitan Division last season, the team had a dismal record of 27-43-12, earning a mere 66 points which ranked as the lowest by a margin of 10 in the Eastern Conference and the fourth lowest in the entire NHL. Columbus has failed to make it to the playoffs for the past four seasons and has not achieved a higher position than fifth in their division since the 2017-18 season.

Being new to the team, Evason lacks familiarity with the players as he has never coached any of them in the NHL. In order to bridge this gap, he will proactively engage in getting to know them. This will involve conducting in-person visits during the summer, as well as utilizing telephone calls or virtual meetings, all leading up to the training camp.

He has to do the same with the assistants that are currently in place on his staff in Jared Boll, Mark Recchi, Steve McCarthy and goalie coach Niklas Backstrom. Evason has to meet them, get to know them, and determine if they’re who he wants to work with.

Evason expressed, “Before training camp, we have a multitude of tasks to attend to.”

Waddell is a recent addition, having been appointed as GM and president of hockey operations on May 28. Evason marks his first significant hiring under this new role. Waddell’s decision to bring Evason on board was primarily influenced by the latter’s deep love for the game and his exceptional aptitude for instilling structure, discipline, and attention to detail within a team.

© Gabe Haferman/Columbus Blue Jackets

Over the span of five seasons, from 2020 to 2024, Evason led the Minnesota Wild to an impressive record of 147 wins, 77 losses, and 27 ties in 251 games. This outstanding performance resulted in a remarkable points percentage of .639, ranking him fifth among current NHL coaches who have coached 250 or more games.

According to Waddell, after being here for a month and a half, I strongly believe that Dean brought a crucial element to the table – passion, structure, and a process that will hold the players accountable. When I was hired, we discussed the importance of this for the organization to progress. We have promising young players alongside our experienced ones, but we were lacking a solid structure.

Evason’s initial responsibility will be to establish a firm structure and playing style. It is crucial for successful teams to prioritize their identity over individual skill and talent, as demonstrated by the recent achievements of the Florida Panthers from the previous season and the Vegas Golden Knights from two seasons ago.

The playing style of the Blue Jackets has seldom been distinctive or easily recognizable.

Under the guidance of Ken Hitchcock, the team flourished and achieved a record of 41 wins, earning their first playoff appearance in the 2008-09 season. Similarly, under John Tortorella’s leadership, they established themselves as a consistent playoff contender from 2017 to 2020.

Since then, there has been minimal acknowledgment of their identity and aspirations. Prior to Hitchcock’s coaching, it was non-existent, and there was a noticeable absence of it between his time and Tortorella’s.

Evason expressed his anticipation for joining this group in the room and cultivating an atmosphere of triumph, an atmosphere that guarantees we will never be outmatched in terms of effort. He emphasized that when we enter an opposing team’s arena or when they visit us, they will be well aware that defeat awaits them if they don’t match our intensity. Our team is committed to giving their all every single night, although we may occasionally face opponents with superior skill sets, we will never be outworked. Evason eagerly welcomes this challenge.

After establishing their identity, the Blue Jackets have ample reasons for optimism regarding their skill and talent. This provides enough grounds to believe that Year One under Evason will show improvement compared to last season under former coach Pascal Vincent.

According to Evason, “I cannot provide an exact inventory of the items in that room, but based on my observations from the outside, I can confidently say that it appears to be excellent in theory.”

There’s an established core group of players featuring forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Boone Jenner, defensemen Zach Werenski, Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov, and goalie Elvis Merzlikins, who has not had the benefit of playing behind structurally strong defensive teams.

Columbus added Sean Monahan on a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value) on July 1 to likely be the No. 1 center this season.

Adam Fantilli is entering his second NHL season and although he’s still young (19 years old), the potential is great for the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, who had 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 49 games as a rookie last season.

Kirill Marchenko scored 23 goals last season after scoring 21 as a rookie two seasons ago. Thirty is achievable. Yegor Chinakhov had 16 goals in 53 games last season after scoring 11 in his first 92 NHL games.

Dmitri Voronkov scored 18 as a rookie last season. The 23-year-old could be on the third line with Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger, each 21 years old, and the Nos. 5 and 12 picks, respectively, in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Columbus has two top defenseman prospects on the rise in David Jiricek and Denton Mateychuk, picks No. 6 and No. 12, respectively, in the 2022 draft. One or both could make an impact in the NHL this season.

Evason expressed that the foundation is already laid out, and now it requires further development. He stated that our primary responsibility is to construct upon this foundation, and both Don and I firmly believe that we will successfully achieve our ultimate objective.